Do most seminars curve as high as possible? Forum

[victortsoi]

Entering 3LOL and done with all graduation requirements. Want to boost GPA as much as possible. At my school, classes with under 25 JDs are judged at a better curve, between 3.0-3.5, up to professors discretion. I assume most other schools have this kind of system. In your experience, do most professors use the "good" curve? Are seminars worth taking to boost GPA instead of just taking other classes? 3 out of 4 seminars gave me an A-, but one gave me a B(although I may have deserved it for really dropping the ball on the assignment).

Thanks

[DELG]

do you not have friends to ask at your actual school

[victortsoi]

do you not have friends to ask at your actual school

kind of, but nobody is exactly sure. It seems like a mystery prize each time. Hence asking internet.

[DELG]

someone here can answer forcefully and with great conviction, but without better information, would that make you feel better?

[victortsoi]

yes

[DELG]

unless the prof has a reputation for being a dick, expect gentle grading

[BVest]

Also find out if your registrar's office makes past grade distributions available.

[ymmv]

someone here can answer forcefully and with great conviction, but without better information, would that make you feel better?

DELG: not the hero TLS needs, but the hero TLS deserves.

[victortsoi]

Also find out if your registrar's office makes past grade distributions available.

Thanks, thats a great idea! Hope that they'll agree...

[BVest]

Also find out if your registrar's office makes past grade distributions available.

Thanks, thats a great idea! Hope that they'll agree...

It's not whether they agree. They either release them or they don't, and there will be a law school policy to that effect.

[Pokemon]

Name your school at least...

[LSATNightmares]

At least at my school, seminars are NOT graded as high as possible. One of my seminar professors told me that the Registrar often forces seminar professors to cut back on the number of A's and make it closer to a A-/B+ mean distribution. As a result, he said it's rare to give out A's or A+'s in seminars.

[thegrayman]

At NYU, classes under a certain amount (18 I think) don't have to be curved.

My anecdotal experience was that it was very professor-specific. Took 3 seminars under the curve amount, 2 definitely graded very liberally, 1 graded just the same as if the curve was imposed.

[victortsoi]

A-/B+ is great, basically I want to insure at least a B+ and avoid the possibility of getting a B or B-, which is not impossible in a doctrinal class.